After you get pregnant, you spend each month tracking the growth of your baby and learning new things about your body. Those months might seem to zip by or they can feel as slow as sticky molasses tipped out of a jar. Eventually, you start to organize your living space and gather the items your new baby will need. You might even take birthing classes to prepare you for the physical aspects of birth. But what about mental preparations? Here are some ideas you can use to help you mentally prepare for your first baby.
Understand the Birthing Process
One of the best ways to get mentally prepared to have a child is to learn about the birthing process. In today’s world, you don’t have to pick up a physical book to find out what you need to know. You can use an app or research online. Any reliable resource will give you the necessary information to help you understand the stages of labor and what your body might go through at every turn. Knowing these things in advance is an important part of preparing your mind for what is to come.
Discuss All Possibilities with Your OB
Even if you have your mind set on a natural birth with no painkillers, make sure to discuss all birthing possibilities with your obstetrician well before your due date. Find out what happens if you start laboring at home with a midwife but need to rush to the hospital for an emergency C-section. Get your doctor’s input on issues such as performing an episiotomy and giving pain-relieving drugs. If you’re planning to birth at home, make sure you understand who will take care of your baby if an event such as birth trauma takes place.
Outline Your Emergency Plans
Whether you have other children or animals at home, make sure to outline your plans in case of an emergency. If your new baby has to spend time in the hospital for treatment after birth, make sure you designate someone to take care of your home and your pets.
You can talk through things like recovering from a C-section with your partner or the family members who will support you after you give birth. Whether or not surgery is part of your birthing plan, it is a good practice to mentally prepare for an emergency situation. It can take up to six weeks to recover from a C-section, and you don’t want to face that situation without mental preparation.
Take Time Off Before the Birth
Part of your mental preparation should include taking time for yourself before you give birth. It’s important to pause your work and other obligations a few weeks before you give birth so that you can relax and reflect on your life.
Once you have your first baby, many aspects of your life will be different. It’s important to face your internal feelings about this, both negative and positive. You may be absolutely overjoyed to have a baby on the way but still have reservations about what it will mean for your identity and sense of independence. This is completely normal, and it’s good to explore your feelings before your baby comes.
Nurture Important Relationships
In the month or so leading up to the birth of your first baby, make sure to nurture the important relationships in your life. These relationships will form the foundation of your support network in the weeks, months, and years after you give birth. Having a child, especially your first child, is an intense emotional and mental journey, and your support network is going to play a vital role in your life in the months and years to come.
If you’re in a relationship, talk about parenting with your partner. Also, make time to connect with your partner so that you feel like you’re in a positive place in your relationship before your baby arrives.
Pregnancy, birth, and parenting are all incredibly momentous events in life. Use these tips to wrap your mind around the changes so you can enter these new phases with confidence.
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